(Figs. 24–25)
Lucanus ibericus Motschulsky, 1845: 60.
Lucanus orientalis var.?: Kraatz 1860: 269; plate 7, figs. 27–28.
Examined material. 1 male, Mazandaran: Kuhha-ye Alborz, Kiyasar, 29–30.VI. 2000, G. Rozner (CLN); 1 female, Mazandaran: Hassan-Abad near Chalus, 400 m, 7.VII. 1995, R. Linnavuori (FNHM); 1 male, Mazandaran: Sari, VI. 2005, H. Ghahari (MZUF); 1 male, Mazandaran: Savadkooh, XI. 2005, H. Ghahari (CLB); 1 male, Guilan: Lahijan, IX. 2004, H. Ghahari (MZUF); 1 male, Kermanshah: Kermanshah, IX. 2003, H. Ghahari (CLB); 7 males, 1 female, Golestan: P.M. Golestan, Ghusheh Cheshmeh, 27.VI. 1998, Nazari & Atabay (NMNHI); 1 male, Golestan: P.M. Golestan, Sulgerd, 26.VI. 1998, Nazari & Atabay (NMNHI); 1 female, Golestan: P.M. Golestan, Tang-e Gol, 27.VI. 1998, Nazari & Atabay (NMNHI); 1 male, Golestan: Gorgan, VI. 2004, H. Ghahari (CLB); 3 males, 3 females, Pers. Kopet-Dagh, Siaret [= Golestan: Ziarat], 1160 m, V. 1899, ex coll. Hauser (ZMB); 1 male, Pers. Kopet-Dagh, Siaret [= Golestan: Ziarat], 1800 m, Füss. (NMB); 1 male, Golestan: Golestan National Park, 40 km NE Minu Dasht, 10-12. VI. 2005, F. Pavel (CLN); 1 female, Alborz: Karaj, 1936, F. Brandt (FMNH); 3 males, “ Persia Bor.”, Wechman (FMNH).
Distribution. Albania, Greece, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Iran (Bartolozzi & Sprecher- Uebersax 2006; Bunalski et al. 2014).
Distribution in Iran. Guilan, Mazandaran (Král 2004), East Azarbaijan (Sakenin et al. 2008), Golestan (Fujita 2010), Khorasan and Tehran (new records).
Remarks. Whether or not L. ibericus and L. orientalis are two distinct species is open to question. Kraatz (1860) doubtfully described it as a variety. Planet (1899) in his excellent monograph on the genus Lucanus hypothesized that the two taxa could be synomymous, and Krajcik (2001, 2003) lists L. orientalis as a synonym of L. ibericus. Nevertheless in the last published checklists of the Palaearctic (Bartolozzi & Sprecher-Uebersax 2006) and world (Fujita 2010) Lucanidae, both species are still considered to be valid. According to Fujita (2010), only L. ibericus is present in Iran, and he cites the locality of Siaret [= Ziarat, Golestan province], while L. orientalis occurs only in Turkey. However, Schenk (personal communication, 2013) believes that L. orientalis is present in the most southeastern part of Turkey, in northern Iraq, and in northwestern Iran. There are two male specimens in his private collection (KDSC), he identified as L. orientalis, with the following label data: NW-Persien, westl. Tazekand, 22.VII. 1955, Mangold leg.
Afshar (1944) and Modarres Awal (1997) record L. orientalis from Guilan province, but it is possible that this record should be referred to L. ibericus. We believe that only DNA studies will clarify the real status of the taxa L. orientalis and L. ibericus. Sakenin et al. (2008) record the species on Juniperus communis (Cupressaceae).